Alighting the Shadows
This post is part of a series called ‘Critiques On The Painting a Day Movement’. By Elijah. You will find more of his excellent art critiques at Art&Critique.com
Where there is light, there is shadow
We all know how daily and frequent painting can benefit artists. It helps to develop commitment and self-discipline, it can prompt the systematic study of one particular theme, it can prove to be financially profitable and, it generally teaches about the sacrifices involved in constant creative labor. However, each one of these advantageous consequences withholds a darker side, which could potentially become more and more dominant and eventually transform the advantage into a disadvantage.
In this series of articles I would like to focus on the pitfalls of the One Painting a Day movement, and hopefully mark them as thought provoking — and avoidable.
The nature of success
Apparently, it may take up to a year, and usually less, to make it in the Internet art world. This is an incredibly short amount of time, especially considering that it will often take decades for an artist to build him or herself a reputation in the real world. It seems that it is easier, at least for now, to launch a painting career on the web. Basically, if you make good art and market it effectively, sooner or later you will begin to sell, receive compliments and even invitations to real tangible galleries — all of the indications of success.
Once achieved, it can inspire, but it can also dishearten. It may sound odd, but some artists may have real difficulties coping with success. It may pose psychological barriers that arise just as high as those of its opposite, the failure. Many artists are sensitive souls by nature, and sudden massive recognition may stifle a blooming career just as a continuous lack of attention would. But this doesn’t mean that one should avoid success: on the contrary, one only needs to keep the sense of proportion — something that shouldn’t be a problem for a painter.
What’s next?
I would like to take a closer look at those obstacles and suggest strategies on how to break them down, or walk around them, when possible. We will discuss the trickiness of financial success, the problems involved in mastering and exploiting a single niche, the addictiveness of One Painting a Day, the compatibility of the practice with the artist’s individuality, and so on and so forth. We will examine known examples not only from painting, but also from other creative spheres, because, after all, all artists make up a single great community.
Although not a painter myself, as an aspiring art critic and writer I draw from personal experience in relation to these fields. To familiarize myself with the topic, I took part in a “One Short Story a Day” initiative, which although lasted only for a week, gave me insight, perspective and a general deeper understanding of the subject. I hope that my detachment from painting will bring a touch of objectivity and dispassionate credibility to the reached conclusions. Though, I will be the first to admit, passion is what drives us all in this complicated thing called “art.”
December 11th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Although for a while I participated in the “painting a day” movement, I ultimately withdrew as I found the concept arbitrary and somewhat destructive.
Why is it important to paint and post one piece a day? Can you take a day to think, to study? Take a week or so on a concept or larger piece? I found myself addicted to painting one piece a day, and that ultimately led to some sub-standard work, and to thinking too short term. It’s a great goal to paint at least daily, because as painters we evolve and learn through covering as much canvas as possible. But let’s face it, the idea of painting once day and posting in a blog is quite arbitrary and frankly a bit gimmicky.
-Ed
December 11th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
I can only paint something that are not demanding if I need to paint one painting a day. If I want to create something new or exciting, I may need to take months to think and construct.
I like daily painting in the sense that it really requires me to work hard that I need to produce something interesting that can be posted in my blog at the end of the day.
December 11th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
I also joined the PAD-movement in July this year. I painted and posted one painting a day, or at least 22 or so a month. Subjects are not hard to find. When you take a good look, subjects are all around you. But after a while, I gave it a little thought. What is my goal? Do I want to produce and post one painting a day? Or do I want to make paintings that makes ME happy? I decided to go for the last one. I want to think what to paint, how to paint it, think about the composition, how to make better colors. And I wanted to make bigger paintings as well. What I do try, is to paint every single day. Just to keep up, and train myself. You get better at things, when you do it every day. You’ll learn from your “mistakes”. And you will observe better. This all is easy for me to say. I have a day time job. I paint in the evenings and weekends. So, that PAD thing is not for me. There is not much choice. Painting a day costs me 2 hours a day at least. And I want to do so much more than just that. But don’t get me wrong here! I admire all the PAD painters. The all make nice work and some of them don’t miss a day! It is admirable. I wish I could do that. Begin the day with a small painting and then go back to the larger work. Maybe later, when I …
Happy painting,
Jiddje
December 11th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
This is a great topic. I think that every painter comes to daily painting on a different path.The daily painting blogs may not be a “movement” in art but they are a new way that artists have to communicate, share and sell their work.
Pitfalls come with every method or routine of painting. Daily painting is no exception. Being part of a large group can make it is easy to fall into several traps. These traps or habits can sneak up on you and keep you from doing your best work or worse replace easel time with screen time.
I started daily painting as a way to build confidence in myself and to build a habit of discipline by practicing everyday. Everything else comes second. The everyday part is a goal, the direction I aim for, but I am not consumed by it. To stay out of the pitfalls of any routine yo should keep returning to your core motivation. Why are you an artist?
Like any routine, it has to be fun. If you don’t enjoy it it won’t last.
December 12th, 2007 at 1:46 am
I began a painting a day series on September 25th and it has done wonders for me. I have always had a bit of a problem with discipline and now my blog gives me just the incentive that I needed. Since starting the PAD I have produced work that I am happy with and work that I deplore, but no matter. I accept the dark side. The other problem that I see happening a bit is that I am painting small pieces now which is new for me and I do tend to neglect my larger pieces. I have three unfinished large canvases as I write this. I do my small piece, blog it and then move on to my work with horses and my dreaded domestic duties. BUT AT LEAST I AM MIXING AND MASHING PAINT EVERY DAY. That gives me great joy and satisfaction.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
I flirted with the PAD idea in early 2006. At the time I was actively listing small paintings on ebay for auction. Friend and fellow artist Karin Jurick told me about this daily painting movement that was building in popularity, and suggested I try it. So, for one month I painted a 6×6 each day. I thought that the time limitation would in some way loosen up my style, and give my work a more “painterly” quality.
By the end of that month I had produced 30 paintings I wasn’t particularly proud of. They weren’t bad, they just weren’t completed to my satisfaction. I found that the process for me was more about beating the clock, than creating a satisfactory painting.
That was the extent of my PAD experience. It did take me out of my comfort zone for a while, but I realized very quickly that it would be a short-lived venture. The kind of work I enjoy requires multiple layers, and that takes time.
I know that the PAD works for many artists, but for me it was a square peg in a round hole. In the years since my venture into the PAD movement I’ve been fortunate to have been taken on by a number of galleries, all of whom want larger paintings. This has also taken me out of my comfort zone, but in a way that is more conducive to my style. It’s all about finding what works for you.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:26 am
Daily painting has always been there. Creating a new piece a day is an excellent way to develop your skill as a painter, but painting every day is just as good.
One of the problems I have with the “movement” on the net is that there is a lot of really good little paintings just given away on E-bay. Artists are letting good original pieces go for less then a digital print and I feel it just cheapens their work and the work of others.
The other problem I have with just painting one piece a day is you can get into a rut . You get too comfortable with a technique and you miss out on the challenges of working larger. Working large is a whole different animal.
However you as the artist knows what works or does not work for you. Only you know what you want out of painting. I have one friend who paints about one small piece a day and he says he would get bored to death if he had to spend more time then that on one painting.
So to each his own!